Clamping device.



No. 685,562. Patented Oct. 29, IBOI.

F. C. BILLINGS.

GLAIVIPING DEVICE.

(Application filed Mar. 22, 1901.

(No Model.)

n45 Nunms PETERS cu, PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGVOM 0. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

FREDERICK C. BILLINGS, OF MACON, MISSOURI;

CLAMPIING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 685,562, dated October 29, 1901. Application filed March 22, 1901. Serial No. 52.370. (No model T0 .aZZ whom it may concern.-'

Be it known that I, FREDERICK QBILLINGS, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Macon, in the conntyof Macon and State of Missouri, have invented a new and Improved Clamping Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to means for preventing the displacement of bed-coverings While the bed is in use, and has for its object to provide a novel, simple, and inexpensive clamping device for the purpose indicated which is light, strong, and easy to'manufacture, is fully concealed from view when applied for service, and is adapted for convenient adjustment to clamp the bed-clothing at the side edges of the bed, so as to hold them in posit-ion, or for release of the bed-covers, as maybe desired.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described,and defined in the appended claims.

Reference is tobe had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view in part of a bed, showing the improvement applied thereto and adjusted to clamp the bedclothing in place at one side of the bed. Fig. 2 isa plan view of the improved clamping device; and Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View of details, showing by dotted lines the clamping member of the device adjusted to hold the bedclothing from displacement and by full lines rocked for the release of the bedclothlug.

In the drawings, t indicates the side rail of a bedstead, 5 a woven-wire bed-bottom, and 6 a mattress supported by the bed-bottom.

The improved clamping device in briefcomprises a stationary light frame open at one side and securable upon the bed-bottom, so that its open side will be adjacent to the bedrail. A rockable frame is monntedupon the stationary frame, so as to rock thereon from its inner edge, and a keeper-barhaving cranks at its ends is adapted for rocking movement on the members of the stationary frame, so that it may be adjusted to bear upon the rockable frame and hold it clamped toward the The rocking frame is formed of the sa'me material'as the stationary frame,and at equal I distances from the free ends of the metalro'd or bar 8 composingthesametwo like side members or limbs 8 are formed by bending, the material so as to produce an open hope at thepoint of junction between each limb 8 and an end of the spacing-bar 8. The two similar loops 0 are open at their upper pertions and dependfrom the side" limbs 8",

which latter project above and outside of the bar 8, as is clearly shown as to one loop and bar in Fig. 1.

The side limbs 8 have greater length than the side members 7 of the stationary frame,

and upon the ends of said limbs opposite those 7 having the loops 0 eyes 61 are formed, which respectively receive the member 7 of the stationary frame and loosely engage therewith adjacent to the side members 7,as represented inFigrZ. The length of the frames which have been described may be nearly'eqnal to that of the bed-bottom 5, or the frames may be formed in two sections'for each side of the bed, and to adapt them for efficient service the stationary frame is affixed upon the bedbotlom orupon stable projections on the bedstead, as may be preferred.

If the clamping device is afforded considerable length, it may be found advantageous to stiffen therockable frame by providing one or more braces 9, that are held to rock with the frame intermediately of the limbs 8, said braces being held in place by loosely securing e e projecting outward from the crank-arms at directly opposite points. On one journal extension 6, which passes through an adjacent ring-eye Z) on a stationary-frame limb 7, a nutfis screwed, so as to prevent displacement of said extension. The journal end 6 on the opposite crank-arm 10 is longer than the extension e and is threaded, as shown in Fig. 2. A washer g is loosely mounted upon the journal end e, and a winged nut h is screwed thereon outside of the washer. Upon the extremity of the journal end a a head 6 is secured, which may be milled on its edge to adapt it for manipulation; but it is not essential that this particular form be employed for the head, as it may have wings or be otherwise adapted for being gripped manually.

The relative proportion of parts should be such that when the nut h is slaekened and the head (2 is manipulated the body portion of the keeper-bar 10 may be rocked outwardly, so as to enter it within the loops 0 c, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2,01- be rocked rearwardly, as represented in Fig.

In use the operator first rocks the keeper-.

bar 10, so as to carry it upward and away from the loop formations c e,which will cause said bar to raise the forward port-ion of the rockable frame of the device. The covering 11 for the bed when it is to be secured is drawn down over the bed proper and then passed inwardly between the bar 8 of the rockable frame and the keeper-bar l0, and

.the latter-named bar is then rocked outward points on each side of the bed, and after the covers are clamped at opposite side edges, as explained, the adjustment of the nut h on each clamping device will prevent the keeperbar 10 from releasing the bed-covers, as the nut will bind the adjacent crank-arm 10 against the eye I) and hold it from rocking.

The improvement is well adapted for nursery or hospital use, as it may be adjusted to retain the bed-covering in place and prevent delirious patients or young children from exposure to cold', and consequent injury, if left unattended. It is also equally well applicable to folding beds.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A clamp for bed-covers, comprising a rectangular frame secnrable on abed-bottom, a frame held to rock upon the rectangular frame and having open loops at its free edge, and a cranked keeperbar rockable on the rectangular frame toward and from the open loops.

2. A clamp for bed-covers, comprising a rectangular frame, a clamping-frame held to rock on the side member of the rectangular frame, intermediate braces on the rockable frame, open loops on the rockable frame and braces, a keeper-bar haviuga crank-arm at each end and held to rock on side members of the rectangular frame, means to rock the keeper-bar, and means to secure it.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK G. BILLINGS.

\Vitnesses:

Ross LARRABEE, A. J. GLENN. 

